Electronic devices such as data storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives or HDDs), solid state memories, microelectronic devices, and computers (e.g., personal computers, cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) are involved in countless modern activities. Our reliance on these devices continues to increase, as do the performance requirements of these devices such as their speed and reliability.
To increase reliability of many types of advanced electronic devices, many electronically-functional components of these devices are placed within an enclosure that can be closed or sealed to prevent moisture, gases, and particulates from contacting these components. Moisture coming into contact with functional features of an electronic device, for example, can cause performance problems by the moisture becoming deposited onto electronically functioning surfaces of the device or by causing corrosion. Some device enclosures include a filter or desiccant to capture particles and moisture at the interior of the enclosure, or to prevent moisture or particles from passing into the enclosure.
Other device enclosures can be more tightly sealed, e.g., hermetically sealed, to prevent essentially any amount of gas from entering or exiting the interior of the enclosure. Optionally, enclosures of some advanced electronic devices (e.g., hard disk drives) may be hermetically sealed and filled with a non-air atmosphere, for example a low density atmosphere, as a way to improve device performance. There are various benefits to operating a hard disk drive, for example, in a low density atmosphere, with helium being one specific example of a low density atmosphere useful as a replacement for air. A low density atmosphere (relative to air, e.g., a helium atmosphere) in a hard disk drive (HDD) can reduce the amount of drag force that affects a spinning disk or a stack of closely-spaced spinning disks. The reduced amount of drag can significantly reduce the amount of power required to cause the disk or disk stack to spin. Also, a low density (e.g., helium) atmosphere can reduce the amount of un-wanted, non-rotational movement or “flutter” that occurs in a spinning disk and a disk suspension during use. Reducing un-wanted motion of a disk or disk suspension can allow adjacent disks of a disk stack to be placed more closely together, which increases areal density (a measure of the quantity of information bits that can be stored on a given area of disk surface) by enabling a narrower data track pitch. Efficient thermal conduction of helium can also allow for a reduced operating temperature of a device, and lower density gases (relative to air) can produce less acoustic noise. The reliability of a hard disk drive that contains helium in a hermetically sealed enclosure can also be increased due to reduced levels of humidity, other corrosive gases, and contaminants, and due to a reduced sensitivity of the atmosphere to altitude and external pressure variations.
An electronic device that is designed to be hermetically sealed must include an enclosure that can be assembled and hermetically sealed in a manner that effectively, efficiently, and reliably produces a long-lasting hermetic seal.